Actor Mark Salling, best known for his work as Noah “Puck” Puckerman on the Fox series Glee, was indicted on Friday for possessing child pornography.
Salling was indicted on two counts of child pornography in relation to his arrest in December 2015. According to investigators, a laptop, a hard drive, and a USB flash drive that were seized from Salling’s residence allegedly contained thousands of child porn pictures and videos. The 33-year-old will reportedly surrender to authorities on June 3 and be arraigned on that date. The child pornography possession charges could land Salling up to 20 years in prison.
Authorities say this case demonstrates how child pornography is an issue where possessors fit more than just one demographic. Joseph Macias, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security investigations in Los Angeles, expressed this sentiment in a statement on the matter.
“The traditional stereotype about the kinds of people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes simply doesn’t dovetail with reality. As our investigators can attest, the defendants in child pornography cases come in all ages and from all walks of life.”
Salling has previously faced allegations of extremely inappropriate behavior. In 2013, the actor was sued for sexual assault and battery by a woman that said Salling had unprotected sex with her despite her insistence that he use a condom. She also alleged that Salling pushed her to the ground. He would end up paying $2.7 million in a settlement.
(Via Variety)
